Abstract: An assembly for directing air to a desired location for use as an air blower, carpet drier or the like. An air blower component in a preferred embodiment includes an outlet having attachment means engageable with a separate component such as a ducting housing or carpet drier attachment, through engageable lugs.

Abstract: The invention relates to a collapsible shelter comprising a cloth of supple, sheet-like material and of at least one frame for stretching the sheet-like material, said frame being provided with at least one hub and with rods having high bending strength, said rods being hingably connected to the hub, in a plane perpendicular to the hub, and being hingable relative to the hub beyond a dead center, at least a number of said rods being connected at their free ends with the sheet-like material. The shelter includes a pull cord which is secured at one of its ends to the material and is positioned through a cord eyelet mounted at the free end of the rod so that the material can be pulled outward from the hub toward the free end of the rod, with the other end of the cord being releasably secured in a clamp located on the rod between the eyelet and the hub.

Abstract: A hub for providing an articulating interconnection between the ends of tent frame struts, comprising a base member and a cap member rotatably interconnected by a common axis of rotation to form an encasement having a plurality of interior cavities equally spaced radially from the common axis, a like plurality of elongated windows each having top and side framing portions and a sill, each in communication with one of the cavities, a like plurality of radial slots in the base member in respective communication with one of the said windows and a like plurality of sockets, each having a spherical terminating end portion and disposed in each of said cavities.

Abstract: A self supporting collapsible tent structure having a tension bearing polygonal shaped floor member defining a first tent level, a plurality of hub members each carrying a plurality of sockets which are pivotal about axes which are co-planer and are interrelated one to the other as the sides of polygon, a series of said hub members disposed in a plane at a second tent level which is spaced apart from said first tent level and whose sockets are pivotal in a first direction, and additional series of said hub members disposed in a plane at a third tent level which is spaced apart from said second tent level and whose sockets are pivotal in a second direction, opposite to the said first direction, a single, apex forming hub member disposed at a fourth tent level and whose sockets are pivotal in said first direction, a first plurality of compression rods, the ends of which are seated in the said sockets of the hub members in slightly curved polygonal planes defined and bounded by the rod members and a second plura

Abstract: A tenting structure with two angularly related sidewalls forming a roof and having at least one collapsible frame for externally supporting each of the sidewalls and where the frame includes a hub radially carrying a plurality of flexible struts whose distal ends are secured in external pockets positioned around the edges of each of the sidewalls and where the frame is sized and dimensioned in respect to the sidewalls that the frame members take on a compression induced dish shaped outward bow. The hub includes a plurality of pivotal strut mounting sockets which rotate about their pivotal axis to a discrete splayed position and to a definitive stowed position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a spring-biased foot subassembly for use in the lower corners of a wall panel of a ground tent to yieldably resist the tension placed upon such panels when the diagonally-extending portions of the subframes supporting same in free-standing relation elongate as they move from an inwardly bowed partially folded relation out and over center where they assume a more or less straight line relation and on beyond into a fully-extended and outwardly-bowed position. The same elements that yieldably resist this tensioning of the wall panel also cooperate therewith to maintain the latter taut and under slight tension once the subframe has moved into its fully-extended and outwardly-bowed wall-supporting position.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved self-adjusting hub and strut-endcap assembly for tent frame roof and wall struts characterized by a two-part hub section sandwiched together in stacked relation to define a set of four sockets, each of which has a channel-shaped entryway which is adapted to receive the socket-forming neck projecting from the ball on the inner end of one of the strut endcaps for limited side-to-side movement therein when in extended position as well as movement between its extended position and a folded position wherein the strut connected thereto lies in nested essentially parallel relation to the other struts of the frame.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved free-standing tent frame having at least three four-sided collapsible subframes linked together in side-by-side relation and angled relative to one another so as to stand alone while leaving a gap between the endmost subframes, and a triangularly-segmented roof frame having one more triangular segment than there are subframes in the wall structure. The invention is also characterized by a hub assembly for the subframes of the wall assembly that comprises a series of three or more strut-receiving socket subassemblies hingedly interconnected to produce a closed polygon in which those having four or more sides are self-adjusting to accommodate various included angles between adjacent struts without the latter having to bow or bend.

Abstract: This invention relates to a canopy assembly for use in combination with a force-fed supply of hot humidified air to be used in the curing of repair patches on airborne radar domes, such a canopy assembly including a flexible donut-shaped inflatable distributor having an inlet on its outer periphery connectable to the source of air and a plurality of apertures spaced around its inside margin for distributing the air more or less radially inward over the patch, a plurality of tie-down straps encircling the distributor tube spaced around its periphery, a like member of suction cups detachably connectable to the tie-down straps for mounting the tube in encircling relation to the patch to be cured, a flexible shroud of a size and shape effective to cooperate with the distributor to define a protective cover over the patch, and means depending from the margins of the shroud detachably connectable to the strap and suction cup subassemblies for releasably interconnecting same in roof-forming relation atop the distrib

Abstract: This invention relates to a portable ventilating apparatus particularly well suited for use in purging underground installations characterized by a collar having a deflector atop thereof mountable within an entryway on the surface leading below ground, a duct hanging from the underside of the collar extendable well down into the area to be ventilated in spaced relation to the entryway so as to leave an annular exhaust passage therebetween, a tapered nozzle supported within the mouth of the collar cooperating with the deflector to define an annular air intake passage, and a blower mounted within the nozzle for directing a stream of air down the duct, said blower and nozzle cooperating to inspirate clean air into the duct through the air intake passage and using it to force any foul air out through the exhaust opening across the deflector which disperses it and thus prevents the latter from being returned underground.

Abstract: This invention relates to a tent consisting of an open-bottomed roofed canopy and foldable frame having cornerposts detachably connectable to various socketed supporting structures cooperating therewith to define an aerial tent, a tent for a cherry picker bucket and a ground tent for use in covering the entryway through a manhole to an underground installation. The support subassembly adapting the tent for use as an aerial tent includes vise-like cable clamps detachably connectable to an overhead cable, upwardly divergent sockets for receiving the cornerposts of the frame and ties for connecting the canopy to supports positioned above the cable. A second support subassembly provides socketed arms depending from a cherry picker bucket that detachably receive the tent frame cornerposts. The latter subassembly includes a high voltage version wherein the arms are detachably secured to the bucket without penetrating same by means of a belted sling.

Abstract: This invention relates to a heat-resistant air-distributing sheath foldable into encircling relation about a section of damaged cable or the like encased in a heat-shrinkable sleeve, said sheath being characterized by a tangentially-directed tubular inlet connectable to a source of forced hot air, cooperating pairs of arcuate rigid ribs housed within circumferential pockets adjacent opposite ends of said sheath movable from an open cable-receiving position into a closed cable-encircling one, means depending from said sheath for tying or otherwise hanging same from an overhead support, flexible tubular cuffs at opposite ends equipped with drawstrings for regulating the size of the openings through which the air exits the sheath, and a deflector at the point where the air enters the sheath effective to direct the airflow in a helical path towards the opposite open ends thereof.

Abstract: This invention relates to a specialized ladder for use with a ring-like shield bordering the entryway into a manhole, said ladder being characterized by hook-forming subassemblies depending from the right and left handrails adapted to releasably hook over the upwardly-facing rim of the shield, each such hook subassembly including a hanger member projecting out over the shield rim in overhanging relation to the latter, a downwardly and inwardly inclined tubular slide on the overhanging end of the hanger member and a self-locking latch pin mounted within said slide for automatic free-sliding gravitational movement therein from a retracted unlocked position out of contact with the cylindrical shield wall into an extended latched position resting thereagainst.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel tent construction characterized by at least two, and preferably four, identical subframes, each pair of which is connected together at the adjacent upper outside corners to produce in unfolded condition an inverted generally V-shaped frame when the lower marginal edges thereof are maintained in maximum fixed-spaced relation to one another by a foldable fabric floor stretched therebetween. When four subframes are employed, the second pair is connected to the first in end-to-end relation so as to double the length of the resulting frame. Each subframe includes a unique molded hub at the center thereof having four equiangularly-spaced sockets therein shaped to receive a ball on the inner end of a springable rib-forming strut for movement between a folded position nested alongside one another and an unfolded position arching radially therefrom in umbrella-like fashion.

Abstract: This invention relates to a tent-like foldable room-forming extension for rear-opening van-type vehicles characterized by hanger brackets mountable on the upper rear outside corners of the van; a foldable subframe having its adjacent front corners fitted with eyelets detachably connctable to the hanger brackets to define a roof-supporting structure, foldable subframes depending from the side margins of the roof-supporting subframe and cooperating therewith to define an arch, a foldable fabric skin covering, the top and sides of said frame as well as the opening at the rear with an openable curtain wall, a forwardly-extending sealable cuff at the front end adapted to be drawn snug against the rear end of the van, and an expandable panel stretched between the sidewalls along the underside of the van cooperating therewith to enclose the front. This cuff allows the tent to be connected to vans having rear ends of different heights, widths and configurations.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved foldable wall-supporting subframe for fabric-covered collapsible tent walls and the like, such improvement consisting of attaching the strut sections of each jointed pair thereof to the connector in slightly overlapped transversely-spaced side-by-side relation so as to maximize the spacing between each axis of pivotal movement and the associated stop-forming abutment carried by said connector while, at the same time, minimizing the size of the latter. The invention also encompasses the collapsible tent structure which comprises a pair of the improved subframes hingedly interconnected at their adjacent corners cooperating with one another in fully unfolded condition and with the floor of the cover linking them together to define a free-standing assembly. The invention further encompasses certain of the unique connections by means of which the frame and fabric covering therefor are detachably interconnected to form a self-contained unitary tent structure.